Barriers to compliance with OBRA'90 regulations in community pharmacies

OBJECTIVE: To identify which barriers have been most significant to community pharmacists in their ability to comply with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA'90) regulations during its first year of implementation. METHODS: Mailing of a two-page survey in April 1994. SETTING: Four hundred randomly selected community pharmacies in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: Of 400 pharmacies surveyed, 156 surveys were completed and returned for analysis. RESULTS: Barriers that were considered most significant to pharmacies surveyed in their ability to implement OBRA'90 regulations were excessive workload, lack of financial compensation, and patients' attitudes. Of least significance were inadequate knowledge about drugs, inadequate references, and store layout. Almost half the responding pharmacists indicated that OBRA'90 regulations had not affected or changed their practice, one-quarter of the pharmacists believed their practice was less rewarding after OBRA'90, and about one-fifth believed it was more rewarding. CONCLUSIONS: Community pharmacists in Massachusetts are making an attempt to comply with OBRA'90, but there are specific barriers that are affecting their ability to do so. The OBRA'90 regulations appear to have had little impact on the practice of most community pharmacies. Community pharmacy management needs to examine (1) expanded roles of supportive personnel to give pharmacists more time to spend counseling patients, (2) reimbursement mechanisms for cognitive service, and (3) approaches to educating patients about these changes in the pharmacy profession.

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